


Steadier

by Anonymous



Category: Mahou Shoujo Madoka Magika | Puella Magi Madoka Magica
Genre: F/F, Implied Sexual Content, NSFW
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-07
Updated: 2014-02-07
Packaged: 2018-01-11 11:05:05
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 804
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1172288
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Homura and heartbeats.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Steadier

The orchestra---a whisper---is the only true sound in the room. Homura notches in both earbuds and the sound gets bigger, the bass and the cellos present and full. She imagines tapping her foot with the music, or gently nodding her head, or drumming her fingers along the medical alert cord, every way she can think of to mark time, but she does not stir. Eyes closed, she tries to remain just on the edge of those actions, poised to become her own part of the easy waltz. The song becomes a dream. Beyond the gentle lift of her breathing, she does not move at all. Gradually, the tempo becomes inherent, a pattern quieter than thought. The music has stopped, but the pattern does not leave her body. Eyes closed, holding herself in stillness, Homura feels more awake than she has all day. She sits up in bed, blinking happily, and hums along with her perfect memory of the the first oboe. 

She will go for a walk in the garden, she decides. There is a new strength in her heart.

[][]

[][]

"It's just..." Homura suddenly feels dizzy. "It's just hard to---"

Madoka stops running. "I thought your magic, um... made you okay. Medically."

"I'm fine, I just.... something in that witch's barrier made me lose...." Homura sucks in deep breaths, but it feels like the air is thin, like they've been running for hours. "Lose something. A sense of timing."

They couldn't have been inside more than ten minutes. Why are all the streetlamps lit? Homura's own shadow looks long and stretched.

"You mean, you have to think about your heartbeats?"

Homura shakes her head. "No, my magic needs... something steady, to keep me in check. Like a song at just the right tempo."

Violin. Then full string section. No... Then the clarinets? Why can she suddenly not remember? She closes her eyes.

Then her wrists are caught up in Madoka's grip, and her bare palms suddenly pressed right to the fabric over Madoka's chest.

"Use me."

[][]

[][]

Dark spots swim at the edge of Homura's vision. It's a little like seeing the true form of a witch, the way the collage of it burns at the corner of the eye. If she tries to speak, she might start gasping, and that will only make it harder for her body to return to its cycle of magic and oxygen. So, without words, she reaches out a hand and threads her fingers into Madoka's. They pull themselves closer.

There is something right, and calm, and clarifying about having her cheek pressed to Madoka's chest. She does her best to concentrate on her fellow magical girl's pulse, but her other senses rush in too. Does Madoka know how good she smells? The kind of warmth that belongs just to her, when she's holding Homura like this?

"I didn't mean to push you that hard. You were amazing in that battle, but I don't want you risking your.... yourself. Like that."

Madoka swallows, and Homura can feel that too.

"A-anyways.... like I promised you... I'm always here if you need me."

Homura nods, and turns her head just slightly. Beneath her lips, Homura can feel Madoka's heart beat just a little bit faster.

[][]

[][]

"Use me," Madoka says, three timelines away. Homura hands over her soul gem and Madoka presses it to her wrist.

[][]

[][]

"You know, I know this song!" Sayaka's hands move through the languid three-four of the score. "Yeah, it was on one of those classical music CDs. An American orchestra, right?"

She shrugs. Homura is curled up on the floor near the coffee table, not looking at Sayaka, trying not to breathe at all.

"Ah, I thought I'd be numb all over, but I feel fine! It's amazing. You were looking for my heartbeat, right? With my magic, though, well... it turns out, the most efficient artificial heart pumps move blood in a continuous flow. So, no pulse! That wasn't easy to mimic, let me tell you."

Sayaka looks down at Homura.

"I'm guessing that magic of yours isn't doing too great, no?"

Homura has no idea what her own heart is doing. She thinks she might be able to stop time, but she doesn't know if she'd be able to isolate herself, much less try to move.

"I'm going to give you a tempo, with my hand, just like the last time I had to discipline you like this. I don't need you to say anything, but I'd like you to show me where on your body you'd like it."

Mouth open, Homura pulls herself up over the edge of the low table, bent over in the middle of Mami's living room. The slab of glass doesn't have any temperature at all. With shaking limbs, she reaches behind herself and tugs up her skirt.

[][]


End file.
